Many industrial manipulators utilize both electrical and fluid energy for powering and/or controlling the various energy consuming units associated therewith. In a typical manipulator, such units normally consist of at least one and usually a greater number of motion-producing actuators, and may also include the manipulator member or unit which is positioned by the actuator units. Energy of the aforesaid types is normally supplied independently to each of the energy consuming units by means of flexible cables, conduits, lines and similar connectors which are disposed exteriorally of the units and depend freely therefrom so as to accommodate relative motion between them. Such exposed energy conductors are highly undesirable. In addition to being subjected to the possibly corrosive environment of their particular use, they are subject to entanglement with each other and/or with structures, vehicles or persons in the immediate vicinity thereof. An entanglement normally necessitates at least temporary shut-down of the manipulator, and may also cause structural damage and/or personal injury.